Run/Debug Configuration: Gradle

Last modified: 26 April 2021

Run | Edit Configurations | Add New Configuration | Gradle

Configuration tab

ItemDescription
Gradle Project

Use this field to specify the location of your Gradle project. You can either enter it manually or click the Browse   the Browse button icon and point to the desired location in the dialog that opens.

You can also click Gradle registered projects the Modules node icon to select an available Gradle module from the list of registered Gradle modules in your existing IntelliJ IDEA project. The list has a tree structure that might be useful if you have a Gradle multi-module project.

If you need, you can specify a path to the build script file instead of the project path. This might be helpful if you have a custom build script to which you want to refer.

TasksUse this field to specify external tasks for your Gradle project. Use spaces to separate one task from another.
VM OptionsUse this field to specify VM options for your Gradle project.

If you need more room to type, click Icons general expand component next to the field to access the VM options dialog where the text entry area is larger.

When specifying JVM options, follow these rules:

  • Use spaces to separate individual options, for example, -client -ea -Xmx1024m.

  • If an option includes spaces, enclose the spaces or the argument that contains spaces in double quotes, for example, some" "arg or "some arg".

  • If an option includes double quotes (as part of the argument), escape the double quotes using backslashes, for example, -Dmy.prop=\"quoted_value\".

  • You can pass environment variable values to custom Java properties. For example, if you define a variable MY_ENV_VAR, you can pass it to the foo property as follows: 

    -Dfoo=${MY_ENV_VAR}

Logs tab

Use this tab to specify which log files generated while running or debugging should be displayed in the console, that is, on the dedicated tabs of the Run or Debug tool window.

ItemDescription
Is ActiveSelect checkboxes in this column to have the log entries displayed in the corresponding tabs in the Run tool window or Debug tool window.
Log File Entry

The read-only fields in this column list the log files to show. The list can contain:

  • Full paths to specific files.

  • Ant patterns that define the range of files to be displayed.

  • Aliases to substitute for full paths or patterns. These aliases are also displayed in the headers of the tabs where the corresponding log files are shown.

    If a log entry pattern defines more than one file, the tab header shows the name of the file instead of the log entry alias.

Skip ContentSelect this checkbox to have the previous content of the selected log skipped.
Save console output to fileSelect this checkbox to save the console output to the specified location. Type the path manually, or click the browse button and point to the desired location in the dialog that opens.
Show console when a message is printed to standard output streamSelect this checkbox to activate the output console and bring it forward if an associated process writes to Standard.out.
Show console when a message is printed to standard error streamSelect this checkbox to activate the output console and bring it forward if an associated process writes to Standard.err.
the Add buttonClick this button to open the Edit Log Files Aliases dialog where you can select a new log entry and specify an alias for it.
the Edit buttonClick this button to edit the properties of the selected log file entry in the Edit Log Files Aliases dialog.
the Delete buttonClick this button to remove the selected log entry from the list.

Gradle Debug

Use this tab to configure a debugging process for Gradle scripts.

For more information, refer to the Gradle debugging section.

ItemDescription
Enable Gradle script debuggingClear this option to disable breakpoints in the Gradle scripts.

If the Let me choose per test option is selected and you decide to debug your test (select Debug 'test name' from the context menu in the gutter), IntelliJ IDEA clears the this option automatically to speed up the debugging process for your test.

Debug forked tasks in the same sessionWhen this option is selected the debug process is run under one tab. Clear this option if you want to see each debugging process in a separate tab.
Option Debug forked tasks in the same session disabled
Debug all tasks on the execution graphWhen you select this option, every task in the execution graph will be debugged. For example, all the dependent tasks of the task you are trying to debug.

Common

When you edit a run configuration (but not a run configuration template), you can specify the following options:

Item

Description

Name

Specify a name for the run/debug configuration to quickly identify it when editing or running the configuration, for example, from the Run popup Alt+Shift+F10.

Allow parallel run

Select to allow running multiple instances of this run configuration in parallel.

By default, it is disabled, and when you start this configuration while another instance is still running, IntelliJ IDEA suggests to stop the running instance and start another one. This is helpful when a run/debug configuration consumes a lot of resources and there is no good reason to run multiple instances.

Store as project file

Save the file with the run configuration settings to share it with other team members. The default location is .idea/runConfigurations. However, if you do not want to share the .idea directory, you can save the configuration to any other directory within the project.

By default, it is disabled, and IntelliJ IDEA stores run configuration settings in .idea/workspace.xml.

Toolbar

The tree view of run/debug configurations has a toolbar that helps you manage configurations available in your project as well as adjust default configurations templates.

ItemShortcutDescription
the Add buttonAlt+InsertCreate a run/debug configuration.
the Remove buttonAlt+DeleteDelete the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you cannot delete default configurations.
CopyCtrl+DCreate a copy of the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you create copies of default configurations.
Save configurationThe button is displayed only when you select a temporary configuration. Click this button to save a temporary configuration as permanent.
Edit TemplatesView and edit the template (that is, the default run/debug configuration settings). The templates are displayed under the Templates node and used for newly created configurations.
Method up/ Method downAlt+Up/ Alt+Down

Move the selected run/debug configuration up and down in the list.

The order of configurations in the list defines the order, in which the configurations appear when you choose a run/debug configuration.

Default templates of run/debug configurations are always sorted alphabetically.

Move into new folder / Create new folder

Move into new folder / Create new folder. You can group run/debug configurations by placing them into folders.

To create a folder, select the configurations within a category, click Folder, and specify the folder name. If only a category is in focus, an empty folder is created.

Then, to move a configuration into a folder, between the folders or out of a folder, use drag or Move Up and Move Down buttons.

To remove grouping, select a folder and click Remove Configuration.

Sort configurations Click this button to sort configurations in the alphabetical order.

Before Launch

In this area, you can specify tasks to be performed before starting the selected run/debug configuration. The tasks are performed in the order they appear in the list.

ItemShortcutDescription
the Add buttonAlt+Insert

Click this icon to add one of the following available tasks:

  • Run External tool: select to run an external application. In the dialog that opens, select one or multiple applications you want to run. If it is not defined in IntelliJ IDEA yet, add its definition. For more information, see External tools and External Tools.

  • Run Another Configuration: select to execute another run/debug configuration. In the dialog that opens, select the configuration to be run.

  • Build: select to compile the specified module. The Build Module command will be executed.

    If an error occurs during compilation, IntelliJ IDEA won't attempt to start the run/debug configuration.

  • Build Project: select to compile the entire project. The Build Project command will be executed.

    If an error occurs during compilation, IntelliJ IDEA won't attempt to start the run/debug configuration.

  • Build, no error check: the same as the Build option, but IntelliJ IDEA will try to start the run/debug configuration irrespective of the compilation results.

  • Build Artifacts: select this option to build an artifact or artifacts. In the dialog that opens, select the artifact or artifacts that should be built.

  • Launch Web Browser: select this option to have a browser started. In the dialog that opens, select the type of the browser and provide the start URL. Also, specify if you want the browser be launched with JavaScript debugger.

  • Run Ant target: select this option to run an Ant target. In the dialog that opens, select the target to be run.

  • Run Grunt task: select this option to run a Grunt task.

    In the Grunt task dialog that opens, specify the Gruntfile.js where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Grunt tool.

    Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the grunt-cli package.

  • Run Gulp task: select this option to run a Gulp task.

    In the Gulp task dialog that opens, specify the Gulpfile.js where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Gulp tool.

    Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the gulp package.

  • Run Maven Goal: select this option to run a Maven goal. In the dialog that opens, select the goal to be run.

  • Run npm Script: select this option to execute an npm script.

    In the NPM Script dialog that opens, specify the npm run/debug configuration settings.

  • Compile TypeScript: select to run the built-in TypeScript compiler and thus make sure that all the changes you made to your TypeScript code are reflected in the generated JavaScript files. In the TypeScript Compile Settings dialog that opens, select or clear the Check errors checkbox to configure the behaviour of the compiler in case any errors are detected:

    • If the Check errors checkbox is selected, the compiler will show all the errors and the run configuration will not start.

    • If the Check errors checkbox is cleared, the compiler will show all the detected errors but the run configuration still will be launched.

  • Generate CoffeeScript Source Maps: select this option to generate the source maps for your CoffeeScript sources. In the dialog that opens, specify where your CoffeeScript source files are located.

  • Run Remote External tool: adds a remote SSH external tool.

  • Run Rake task: add a Rake task to be executed prior to running or debugging. To choose a Rake task, click the browse button the Browse button, and select the desired task from the list of available tasks.

    Note that code completion is available here.

    Code completion for the Rake tasks

  • Run JRuby compiler: choose this option to execute JRuby compiler with the specified target path, compiler process heap size, and command line parameters (if any).

the Remove buttonAlt+DeleteClick this icon to remove the selected task from the list.
EditEnterClick this icon to edit the selected task. Make the necessary changes in the dialog that opens.
Method up/ Method downAlt+Up/ Alt+DownClick these icons to move the selected task one line up or down in the list. The tasks are performed in the order that they appear in the list.
Show this pageSelect this checkbox to show the run/debug configuration settings prior to actually starting the run/debug configuration.
Activate tool window

By default this checkbox is selected and the Run or the Debug tool window opens when you start the run/debug configuration.

Otherwise, if the checkbox is cleared, the tool window is hidden. However, when the configuration is running, you can open the corresponding tool window for it yourself by pressing Alt+4 or Alt+5.